Cloud · head to head
Render vs SST
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Render the free Hobby workspace is limited to 25 services and 5 GB of bandwidth; SST primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
- They diverge on capability: Render covers Web services, SST covers Single config file.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Render and SST actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Render
- Web services
- Static sites
- Background workers
- Postgres database
- Redis database
- Scheduled jobs
- Environment variables
- Custom domains
Only in SST
- Single config file
- Resource linking
- Local development
- Multi-cloud support
- Multiple deployment stages
- VPC tunneling
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Render
- Deploying web services, static sites and cron jobs from a Git repository without managing serversnot SST
- Running managed Postgres and Redis alongside application servicesnot SST
- Preview environments per pull request for small teamsnot SST
SST
- Deploying Next.js frontends with serverless backendsnot Render
- Managing databases and storage alongside application codenot Render
- Creating staging environments for feature testingnot Render
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Render
- The free Hobby workspace is limited to 25 services and 5 GB of bandwidth
- Every paid plan charges the workspace fee plus compute on top, so $25 per month for Pro is a floor rather than a total
- SAML SSO and SCIM require the Scale plan at $499 per month
- HIPAA-compliant workspaces, inbound IP rules and advanced RBAC roles are Scale plan features
- Organization-level audit logs require Scale; Pro provides only workspace audit logs
- Contractual uptime SLAs, support response SLAs and a technical account manager are Enterprise only, and Enterprise is custom priced with no published rate
- Included bandwidth is 25 GB on Pro and 1 TB on Scale, with usage beyond that billed separately
SST
- Primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
- Learning curve for developers unfamiliar with infrastructure concepts
- Limited documentation for some advanced use cases
Pricing, plan by plan
Render
Free- FreeFree
- 1 web service
- 1 static site
- Shared CPU
- Starter$7/month
- Unlimited services
- Dedicated CPU
- 2GB RAM
SST
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the SST review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Render if
- You need web services.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want static sites.
Choose SST if
- You need single config file.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
- You also want resource linking.
Questions people ask
- Is Render or SST better?
- Neither clearly leads. Render starts at Free and SST at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Render or SST?
- Render starts at Free and SST at Free.
- Does Render or SST run on more platforms?
- Render runs on Web, Api. SST runs on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
- Can I use Render for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Render best used for?
- Render is most often used for deploying web services, static sites and cron jobs from a git repository without managing servers, running managed postgres and redis alongside application services, preview environments per pull request for small teams. Of those, deploying web services, static sites and cron jobs from a git repository without managing servers and running managed postgres and redis alongside application services are not what SST is typically brought in for.
- What can Render do that SST cannot?
- Render covers Web services, Static sites, Background workers, Postgres database. SST covers Single config file, Resource linking, Local development, Multi-cloud support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Render: What is Render's pricing?
Render's pricing details are not disclosed on the public pricing page. The site references workspace plans, compute services, and features but does not display specific costs. Users must visit the pricing page directly or contact Render for detailed information.
SourceSST: Is SST free?
Yes, SST is open source and free. You only pay for cloud resources from AWS and other providers.
SourceSST: What cloud providers does SST support?
SST supports over 150 providers through built-in AWS and Cloudflare components, plus Pulumi and Terraform providers.
SourceRelated pages
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